1. Field of the Invention
Embodiments of the invention relate generally to computer software, and more specifically, to a system and method for generating a pose of an object.
2. Description of the Related Art
Using conventional computer animation systems, a user may alter the pose of an object, such as a character, using a variety of tools. Animators often use forward kinematics to pose articulated characters for key framing. Poses are set at different points in time, called key frames, and then the computer fills in the frames between the key frames. However, forward kinematics requires the specification of joint rotations one at a time. For example, to get a character's hand to a desired location, an animator must rotate the shoulder, then the elbow, and then the wrist. Additionally, each of these joints may have more than one rotational degree of freedom, making the task even more tedious and time-consuming for the user.
A technique for posing a character that overcomes some of these challenges is known as inverse kinematics. Inverse kinematics allows intermittent joints to be posed, but requires the user to select and modify several attributes, such as which bones or joints are to be constrained and which bones or joints are solved for by the inverse kinematic system. Also, the solution to an inverse kinematics problem is not unique, as there are many different potential solutions.
Accordingly, there remains the need in the art for an improved technique for posing an object in a computer software application.